1 Amakhosi 8

1 Khona uSolomoni wabuthanisa abadala bakoIsrayeli, zonke inhloko zezizwe, iziphathamandla zaboyise babantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuya enkosini uSolomoni eJerusalema, ukuze benyuse umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaJehova bewukhupha emzini kaDavida, oyiZiyoni.

Then Solomon sent for all the responsible men of Israel, and all the chiefs of the tribes, and the heads of families of the children of Israel, to come to him in Jerusalem to take the ark of the Lord's agreement up out of the town of David, which is Zion.

2 Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuthana enkosini uSolomoni emkhosini enyangeni kaEthanimi eyinyanga yesikhombisa.

And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, the seventh month.

3 Labo bonke abadala bakoIsrayeli beza, abapristi bawuphakamisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano,

And all the responsible men of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

4 bawenyusa umtshokotsho weNkosi lethente lenhlangano, lazo zonke izitsha ezingcwele ezazisethenteni; abapristi lamaLevi bakwenyusa-ke.

They took up the ark of the Lord, and the Tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels which were in the Tent; all these the priests and the Levites took up.

5 Njalo inkosi uSolomoni lenhlangano yonke yakoIsrayeli eyayibuthene babelayo phambi komtshokotsho behlaba izimvu lezinkabi ezingelanani lezingelakubalwa ngobunengi.

And King Solomon and all the men of Israel who had come together there, were with him before the ark, making offerings of sheep and oxen more than might be numbered.

6 Abapristi basebewungenisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi endaweni yawo endaweni yelizwi yendlu, engcweleni yezingcwele, ngaphansi kwempiko zamakherubhi.

And the priests took the ark of the agreement of the Lord and put it in its place in the inner room of the house, in the most holy place, under the wings of the winged ones.

7 Ngoba amakherubhi elulela impiko zawo phezu kwendawo yomtshokotsho, amakherubhi embesa umtshokotsho lemijabo yawo, kuvela phezulu.

For their wings were outstretched over the place where the ark was, covering the ark and its rods.

8 Basebeselula imijabo ukuze izihloko zemijabo zibonakale endaweni engcwele phambi kwendawo yelizwi, kodwa yayingabonakali ngaphandle; njalo ikhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.

The rods were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place, in front of the inmost room; but they were not seen from outside: and there they are to this day.

9 Kwakungelalutho emtshokotshweni, ngaphandle kwezibhebhe zamatshe ezimbili uMozisi azifaka khona eHorebe mhla iNkosi isenza khona isivumelwano labantwana bakoIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo elizweni leGibhithe.

There was nothing in the ark but the two flat stones which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made an agreement with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 Kwasekusithi ekuphumeni kwabapristi endaweni engcwele iyezi layigcwalisa indlu yeNkosi;

Now when the priests had come out of the holy place, the house of the Lord was full of the cloud,

11 ngakho abapristi babengelakho ukuma ukuthi bakhonze ngenxa yeyezi, ngoba inkazimulo yeNkosi yayigcwalise indlu yeNkosi.

So that the priests were not able to keep their places to do their work because of the cloud, for the house of the Lord was full of the glory of the Lord.

12 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathi: INkosi yathi izahlala emnyameni onzima.

Then Solomon said, O Lord, to the sun you have given the heaven for a living-place, but your living-place was not seen by men;

13 Ngikwakhele lokukwakhela indlu, indawo yokuhlala, indawo emisiweyo yokuhlala kwakho laphakade.

So I have made for you a living-place, a house in which you may be for ever present.

14 Inkosi yasitshibilikisa ubuso bayo, yalibusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli; lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli lalimi.

Then, turning his face about, the king gave a blessing to all the men of Israel; and they were all on their feet together.

15 Yasisithi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, eyakhuluma ngomlomo wayo kuDavida ubaba, njalo yagcwalisa ngesandla sayo, isithi:

And he said, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who himself gave his word to David my father, and with his strong hand has made his word come true, saying,

16 Kusukela ngosuku engakhupha ngalo abantu bami uIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe kangikhethanga muzi ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli ukwakha indlu, ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, kodwa ngakhetha uDavida ukuthi abe phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.

From the day when I took my people Israel out of Egypt, no town in all the tribes of Israel has been marked out by me for the building of a house for the resting-place of my name; but I made selection of David to be king over my people Israel.

17 Njalo kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavida ubaba ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

Now it was in the heart of David my father to put up a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

18 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuDavida ubaba: Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela ibizo lami indlu, wenze kuhle ukuthi kwakusenhliziyweni yakho;

But the Lord said to David my father, You did well to have in your heart the desire to make a house for my name;

19 loba kunjalo kawuyikuyakha indlu wena, kodwa indodana yakho ezaphuma ekhalweni lwakho, yona izalakhela ibizo lami indlu.

But you yourself will not be the builder of my house; but your son, the offspring of your body, he it is who will put up a house for my name.

20 INkosi isiqinisile ilizwi layo eyalikhulumayo, ngoba ngivukile esikhundleni sikaDavida ubaba, ngihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli njengokuba iNkosi ikhulumile, sengilakhele ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

And the Lord has made his word come true; for I have taken my father David's place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel, as the Lord gave his word; and I have made a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

21 Njalo ngimisile lapho indawo yomtshokotsho, lapho okulesivumelwano seNkosi khona, eyasenza labobaba ekubakhupheni kwayo elizweni leGibhithe.

In it I have made a place for the ark, in which is the agreement which the Lord made with our fathers, when he took them out of the land of Egypt.

22 USolomoni wasesima phambi kwelathi leNkosi maqondana lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe emazulwini,

Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven,

23 wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kakho unkulunkulu onjengawe emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansi ogcina isivumelwano lomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngenhliziyo yazo yonke.

Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts.

24 Ogcinele inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuye; njalo wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho, wakugcwalisa ngesandla sakho, njengalamuhla.

And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day.

25 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba owakukhuluma kuye, usithi: Kakuyikusweleka muntu kuwe phambi kwami ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli, kuphela uba amadodana akho egcina indlela yawo ukuhamba phambi kwami njengoba uhambile phambi kwami.

So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done.

26 Khathesi-ke, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ake liqiniseke ilizwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho uDavida ubaba.

So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father.

27 Kodwa isibili uNkulunkulu uzahlala yini emhlabeni? Khangela, amazulu, lamazulu amazulu angekwanele; incinyane kangakanani-ke lindlu engiyakhileyo?

But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made!

28 Kube kanti phendukela emkhulekweni wenceku yakho lekuncengeni kwayo, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ukuze uzwe ukukhala lomkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo phambi kwakho lamuhla.

Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day;

29 Ukuthi amehlo akho avulekele lindlu ebusuku lemini, indawo owatsho ngayo ukuthi: Ibizo lami lizakuba lapho; ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ezawukhuleka kulindawo.

That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place.

30 Zwana-ke ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli lapho bezakhuleka kulindawo; yebo, uzwe wena, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala emazulwini; lapho usizwa, uthethelele.

Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy.

31 Uba loba nguwuphi umuntu one umakhelwane wakhe, abeke phezu kwakhe isifungo, amenze afunge, lesifungo size phambi kwelathi lakho kulindlu,

If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house:

32 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, wenze wahlulele inceku zakho, ulahle omubi, ukunikela indlela yakhe ekhanda lakhe, ukulungisisa olungileyo, ukumnika njengokulunga kwakhe.

Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong.

33 Lapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli betshaywe phambi kwesitha ngoba bonile kuwe, babesebephendukela kuwe, balivume ibizo lakho, bakhuleke bancenge kuwe kulindlu,

When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house:

34 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika oyise.

Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers.

35 Lapho amazulu evaliwe, kungelazulu ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bekhuleka kulindawo belivuma ibizo lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo lapho ubahluphile,

When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:

36 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono senceku zakho lesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho usubafundisile indlela elungileyo abangahamba ngayo, unike izulu elizweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho libe yilifa.

Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage.

37 Uba kukhona indlala elizweni, uba kukhona umatshayabhuqe wesifo, ukutshisa, ingumane, isikhonyane, uba kulemihogoyi; uba isitha sabo sibavimbezele elizweni lemizi yabo, loba yiyiphi inhlupheko, loba yiwuphi umkhuhlane,

If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be:

38 wonke umkhuleko, konke ukuncenga, okwenziwa yiloba nguwuphi umuntu, ngabantu bakho bonke bakoIsrayeli, abazakwazi ngulowo inhlupheko yenhliziyo yakhe, eselula izandla zakhe kulindlu,

Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house:

39 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, uthethelele, wenze, unike ngulowo njengezindlela zakhe zonke, onhliziyo yakhe uyayazi, ngoba nguwe wedwa owaziyo inhliziyo yabo bonke abantwana babantu,

Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men:

40 ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku abaziphila ebusweni belizwe owalinika obaba.

So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers.

41 Futhi-ke mayelana lowezizweni ongesuye wabantu bakho uIsrayeli kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yebizo lakho,

And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name:

42 (ngoba bazakuzwa ngebizo lakho elikhulu langesandla sakho esilamandla langengalo yakho eyeluliweyo) uba esiza akhuleke kulindlu,

(For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm; ) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house:

43 zwana wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, wenze njengakho konke owezizweni akubizela khona, ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ibizo lakho, zikwesabe, njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukuze zazi ukuthi ibizo lakho libiziwe phezu kwale indlu engiyakhileyo.

Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name.

44 Uba abantu bakho bephuma impi bemelene lesitha sabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, babesebekhuleka eNkosini bekhangele emzini owukhethileyo lendlini engiyakhele ibizo lakho,

If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name:

45 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze udaba lwabo.

Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them.

46 Uba besona kuwe, ngoba kakulamuntu ongoniyo, ubusubathukuthelela, ubanikele esitheni, ukuze abathumbi babo babathumbele elizweni lesitha, khatshana kumbe eduze,

If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin, ) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near;

47 kodwa babuye enhliziyweni yabo elizweni abathunjelwe kilo, baphenduke, bancenge kuwe elizweni lababathumbileyo, besithi: Sonile, saphambeka, senza okubi;

And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil;

48 babuyele kuwe ngenhliziyo yonke yabo langomphefumulo wonke wabo elizweni lezitha zabo ezibathumbileyo, bakhuleke kuwe bekhangele elizweni labo owalinika oyise, umuzi owawukhethayo, lendlu engiyakhele ibizo lakho,

And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name:

49 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, ubamele.

Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them;

50 Uthethelele abantu bakho abone kuwe, leziphambeko zabo zonke, abaphambeke ngazo kuwe, ubaphe isihawu phambi kwababathumbileyo, ukuthi babe lesihawu kibo,

Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them;

51 ngoba bayisizwe sakho, lelifa lakho owabakhupha eGibhithe, phakathi kwesithando sensimbi.

For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace;

52 Ukuze amehlo akho avulekele ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokuncenga kwabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukubezwa kukho konke ukukhala kwabo kuwe.

Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you.

53 Ngoba wena wazehlukanisela bona babe yilifa bevela kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba, njengokukhuluma kwakho ngesandla sikaMozisi, inceku yakho, ekukhupheni kwakho obaba eGibhithe, Nkosi Jehova.

For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.

54 Kwasekusithi eseqedile uSolomoni ukukhuleka wonke lo umkhuleko lokuncenga eNkosini, wasukuma esuka ngaphambi kwelathi leNkosi ekuguqeni ngamadolo akhe lezandla zakhe zelulekele emazulwini,

Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven;

55 wasesima wabusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli ngelizwi elikhulu esithi:

And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice,

56 Kayibusiswe iNkosi enike abantu bayo uIsrayeli ukuphumula njengakho konke eyakukhulumayo; kakuwanga lelilodwa ilizwi kuwo wonke amazwi ayo eyawakhuluma ngesandla sikaMozisi inceku yayo.

Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true.

57 INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu kayibe lathi njengalokhu yayilabobaba, ingasitshiyi ingasideli,

Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up;

58 ukuze ithobele inhliziyo yethu kuyo, ukuhamba ngazo zonke indlela zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo lezimiso zayo lezahlulelo zayo, eyakulaya obaba.

Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers.

59 Lala amazwi ami, engincenga ngawo phambi kweNkosi, abe seduzane leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu emini lebusuku, ukuze imele udaba lwenceku yayo lodaba lwabantu bayo uIsrayeli, udaba losuku ngosuku lwalo,

And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need.

60 ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ukuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu, kakho omunye.

So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other.

61 Ngakho inhliziyo yenu kayibe ngepheleleyo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, ukuhamba ezimisweni zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo njengalamuhla.

Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.

62 Inkosi loIsrayeli wonke elayo basebehlaba umhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova.

Now the king, and all Israel with him, were making offerings before the Lord.

63 USolomoni wasehlaba umhlatshelo weminikelo yokuthula awuhlabela uJehova, inkabi ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili, lezimvu ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili. Ngokunjalo inkosi labo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli bayehlukanisa indlu kaJehova.

And Solomon gave to the Lord for peace-offerings, twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel kept the feast of the opening of the Lord's house.

64 Ngalona lolosuku inkosi yangcwelisa iphakathi leguma elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngoba lapho yanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula, ngoba ilathi lethusi elaliphambi kukaJehova lalilincinyane kakhulu ukwanela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula.

The same day the king made holy the middle of the open square in front of the house of the Lord, offering there the burned offering and the meal offering and the fat of the peace-offerings; for there was not room on the brass altar of the Lord for the burned offerings and the meal offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings.

65 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wasesenza idili, loIsrayeli wonke laye, ibandla elikhulu, kusukela ekungeneni kweHamathi kusiya esifuleni seGibhithe, phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, insuku eziyisikhombisa lensuku eziyisikhombisa, insuku ezilitshumi lane.

So Solomon and all Israel with him, a very great meeting, (for the people had come together from the way into Hamath to the river of Egypt, ) kept the feast at that time before the Lord our God, for two weeks, even fourteen days.

66 Ngosuku lwesificaminwembili wabayekela abantu bahamba; bayibusisa inkosi, baya emathenteni abo bethokoza bejabula enhliziyweni ngakho konke okuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uDavida inceku yayo loIsrayeli abantu bayo.

And on the eighth day he sent the people away, and, blessing the king, they went to their tents full of joy and glad in their hearts, because of all the good which the Lord had done to David his servant and to Israel his people.